Topic: 2025 – Responsibility of International Organizations
Country: Kazakhstan
Delegate Name: Rowan Babbage
Country: Kazakhstan
Committee: LEGAL
Topic: Responsibility of International Organizations
Delegate: Rowan Babbage
School: Williamston High School
International Organizations (IOs) have a responsibility to prevent as much unnecessary harm and destruction as they can while administering their duties. Naturally, IOs make mistakes and cause damage from time to time, leaving countries with the question of where responsibility will fall in regards to the damage. There are several questions that need to be answered with finality, but before that, some principles need to be established to address said questions. The extent to which IOs are responsible for damage resulting from their actions has not been determined. The parts of the IOs that responsibility will fall on have not been determined. Lastly, how responsibility will be addressed without impeding the ability of IOs to function is not determined.
Kazakhstan supports that IOs should have some responsibility in relation to the negative effects of their actions. In the past, the UN General Assembly has drafted several articles that aimed to discuss this issue. In 2011, the UN General Assembly formed a list of articles that relate to this issue. In general, there is a law of international responsibility, but it still needs refinement. Due to this issue’s lack of resolution, there is a need for an assembly to determine some base principles on which to base future resolutions. Kazakhstan recognizes this need and is determined to participate in the formation of these principles.
Kazakhstan would like to address the formation of principles regarding this topic by supporting that IOs are at least partially responsible for the damage caused by their actions. Kazakhstan acknowledges that being held responsible for their actions could cause IOs to be hesitant about administering aid to underdeveloped countries, and consequently supports that some of the responsibility for the damage be held by those who performed the actions(both the countries within the IO that affirmed that the action took place, and those who acted). A country would determine responsibility with a trial and carry out said determination on a case-by-case basis in cooperation with the UN. Kazakhstan expects to find allies in this resolution with South Africa.
Works Cited
Samara, Chrysanthi. “International Responsibility Of International Organizations (The Draft Articles of the International Law Commission).” SSRN, 2019, https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3480061. Accessed 24 11 2025.
United Nations. “Draft articles on the responsibility of international organizations.” Legal United Nations, 2011, https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/draft_articles/9_11_2011.pdf. Accessed 24 11 2025.
